I wonder why all those little yellow jacks are on the back panel then? I guess I have to disagree with your Outlaw tech - maybe that makes me wrong, but that's how it goes.

I also have a 27" Sony XBR and 1050 combo. I have used the video switching on the 1050 only when I had more than three video input devices (DVD, VCR, SAT, PS2). Since I've ditched the VCR I let the tv switch the video, and the 1050 do the audio. My remote keeps everything in sync by using one-button macros. It is a Radio Shack Rs 15-1994, which is almost the same as the Outlaw remote. The same macros will also turn everything on if not already on. Another macro turns everything off.

I have 3 kids, all under 10, and they have no problems with any of it. My wife OTOH, can't make it work. Go figure.

" Before I go....Charlie, I just wanted to say that I called Outlaw Tech and spoke to some dude who said I'm doing everything right - keeping all video inputs AWAY from the 1050. He said I should plug all audio sources into the 1050 and route all video directly to the TV."

Just keeps it simpler.
Nothing wrong with that.


It sounds like you have equipment that will allow you to make connections in quite a few different ways that would give you better sound than the CoAx cable connections.
( S-video from the DVD to the TV ? )
Generaly TV's with a S-Video jack will also have at least one red-wht-yellow input set. ( somtimes several )
For the best audio signal and slightly better video making connections between components using the R-W-Y cables would be the best connection to use when available over the CoAx type cable that comes out of the wall for your cable TV. CoAx is what the cable company usually gives you to connect the cable box to the TV since all TV's still have a CoAx input "for now"

"another reason why I left my VCR out of the cablebox scenario, is that the audio signal from my VCR is really weak (when playing VCR tapes), and so I thought of leaving the VCR out of the cable-TV setup. I'll swap the cable and see if it makes any difference."

Sounds like a CoAx connection to me.

Even if you connect a video source component's Red-Wht audio directly to the 1050 you should be able to connect the same component's yellow video to the TV's yellow input and skip the CoAx.

I didn't have much time in the past few days so couldn't post an update but here's some now:

1. I noticed a slight but definite degredation in video quality when routing video sources through the 1050. The colors are more saturated when connecting the cable box coax(or R-W-Y) cable straight to the TV, and the S-video cable from the DVD straight to the TV. I really didn't have to spend $50 at Radio Shack to run this experiment but I'm glad it's done and over with.

2. So..just as the Outlaw tech had recommended, all audio sources go into the 1050, all video stays out of it.

3. I found the Radio Shack Digital sound meter better than the analog one. It doesn't eat batteries or anything, and the extra $10 is negligible, if you've sunk upwards of $3k into your HT gear. I'd much rather have the LCD display read out the DB reading, than have to eagle-eye the analog needle.

4. The AVIA Home Theater Setup CD was nice but maybe I was expecting more? Uncannily, all my speakers were set up right, that is, DB output from each was equal so I really didn't have to do anything except verify it.

5. I'm quite happy with the sound now, except that I need to turn up the 1050 to AT LEAST Volume Level 50 to hear the TV and 60 to enjoy a reasonable level of music reproduction. Is this just me, or across the board for everyone?

6. THREE of the speaker post connectors on the 1050 have already broken (the threads spin free). Either I should return the unit and wait for a week or two to have it repaired, or I just get banana plugs for all the speaker wires. I did the latter, today. Not happy about this though.

cheers, Deep

Deep

When I used the 1050, I routinely used a volume setting of around 50 to 60 or a little higher. That's relatively typical.

The binding posts sound a little odd. I don't recall hearing about this from other users (and I was at one point biwiring several speakers,with a lot of wire tucking into the 1050's binding posts). You might want to contact Outlaw about it; if there is a problem with your unit they might be able to ship out a replacement and keep you from having to be receiver-less for a week or two.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

My first 1050 arrived with three (all red as I remember) speaker terminals stripped. Outlaw sent me a replacement so I wasn't without a unit. The new one seems OK. But, because of the stripping on the first one and for convenience I’ve switched to all bananas.

Oh, BTW I’ve had my second 1050 for almost 8 months so the terminal-stripping problem has been around for awhile.

Other than that (and a tinny case, ever rap on the top sheet metal? a VPI brick works wonders) I have no complaints. It works and sounds great.

Wow, I thought it was my BA 9000 speaker system! I have to regularly turn the volume up to 45 just to be able to listen, then I regularly turn it to 50+ to play something just about normal. If I am watching a movie I turn the volume to 65+, sometimes I even keep my hand on the volume and adjust it throughout a DVD as quiet passages are too damn quiet. lol

I really thought this was my speakers being inefficient at 89db. Maybe not.

As for the binding posts, I have not had a problem with them, but was very surprised at how chintzy(cheap) they were. I was expecting metal pieces.

Larry